


Next to You

by orphan_account



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Robots & Androids, Angst, M/M, so much hurt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-15
Updated: 2016-05-15
Packaged: 2018-06-08 12:06:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 993
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6853918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When they lay in bed together, Cisco would connect the brown dots with his fingers - Canis Major, Taurus, The Big Dipper - as he listened to the faint hum of Barry’s servos. Now, they just looked taunting, showing the hubris of a man who dared play God.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Next to You

**Author's Note:**

> So yeah, pure angst and MCD. You have been warned.

Cisco stared despondently at the computer readings before him. No matter what way he sliced it, the batteries he was currently using were running out of power.

 

“What is it?” Barry asked, craning his head to look at the wires coming out of his open back panel. “How’s the voltmeter readings?”

 

Cisco couldn’t bring himself to say it. He couldn’t lose Barry, not now. He’d spent so much time working on him, putting love and care into every cog, every circuit, until he’d outlived the standard android expectancy by nearly 10 years. But they didn’t make Barry’s batteries now - you couldn’t even  _ get  _ lithium any more, much use it in a gel-matrix battery - and they were running out. He’d only discovered it by accident during Barry’s monthly system checkup.

 

“Not good,” he finally whispered. "We've got half an hour, tops." Barry’s face fell, and he reached over his back to start unplugging himself. Cisco helped him, letting his fingers run over the smooth synthetic skin. He could remember trying to program his computer to generate a random pattern of moles, finally breaking and using a few constellations instead. When they lay in bed together, Cisco would connect the brown dots with his fingers - Canis Major, Taurus, The Big Dipper - as he listened to the faint hum of Barry’s servos. Now, they just looked taunting, showing the hubris of a man who dared play God.

 

“Hey, Cisco, it’s gonna be ok, we can just plug me in,” Barry offered, turning to face Cisco. “I’ll be right as rain as no time. It’s just a glitch.” But his own voice faltered slightly, his modulator giving it a metallic edge as it momentarily failed. 

 

“No, it won’t be ok!” exclaimed Cisco, standing up from his bench. “I can’t fix this, Barry. I can’t fix you! You’re  _ dying _ !” Tears began to form in his eyes. “I don’t know how,” he whispered. 

 

Barry stood up, tenderly placing a hand on Cisco’s cheek, using his thumb to wipe away the tears. “I was never alive to begin with,” he said. “You know that, Cisco.”

 

Cisco nodded, pressing his cheek into Barry’s hand. It was true, Barry’s chest only rose and fell because Cisco had placed a small expanding cavity in it, but over the years that they had been together, Cisco had come to think of Barry as a living person. And now, he was worn out, like an old toy or a discarded computer.

 

“I don’t want to lose you,” Cisco said, his eyes meeting Barry’s.  

 

“You won’t,” Barry replied, and pulled Cisco into a tight hug. “You backed up my AI, all my programming’s on file - you can just download me into a new body.”

 

Cisco shook his head. “Your AI’s not compatible with models any more. Once you’re gone, this is it.”

 

“You knew I wouldn’t last forever,” Barry soothed. “Nobody does.”

 

With a frustrated growl, Cisco threw a spanner across the room. “How can you be so calm?!”

 

“Because that’s who I am. You should know that by now, Cisco.” It was true, Cisco had programmed rudimentary emotions into Barry initially, but over the years, he’d developed little quirks in his personality, like the fact that he was never punctual, or put too much pepper in Cisco’s food, or the way his eyes crinkled up when he smiled-

 

“IT’S NOT FAIR!” Cisco howled, tears and snot streaking his face. Seeing his creator’s distress, Barry’s own face crumpled. He couldn’t cry, but Cisco was fairly sure that Barry would be right now if he could. Cisco pulled Barry into a deep hug, the android cool against his chest. 

 

“I’m scared,” he hiccuped. “I can’t imagine not having you.”

 

“You’re all I’ve ever known, Cisco.” Barry’s hand stroked Cisco’s back, before freezing in place. “You’re so wonderful, you’re smart, you’re funny, you’re creative-ive-ive-ive-” Barry pulled back, frowning as he stuttered over the word. He looked down at his hands, then back to Cisco. His eyes widened as he clutched his hands to his chest, one rubbing over the voice modulator in his throat. 

 

“Cisco-co-co-co-”

 

“Shhh, no, Barry, don’t try to talk,” Cisco urged, guiding the android over to his makeshift bed. “Lie down, I’ll hook you up to the computer.” 

 

Barry obediently lay down, his long legs swinging over the side. Cisco rubbed the tears from his eyes as he tried to concentrate on the wires, Barry’s hands fumbling next to his. They’d always been so strong, so precise, and now, the tiny motors stuttered and ground to a halt.

 

“Cisco, thank you,” popped up on the computer. “Thank you for everything that I’ve experienced.” Barry’s eyes turned to Cisco, and he tried to raise his hand. It jerkily moved towards Cisco, who took it in his own as he rubbed his thumb over Barry’s knuckles. Barry smiled, his jaw working as he tried to speak.

 

“Thank you for showing me music,” appeared on Cisco’s monitor. “And the park, and Star Wars.”

 

Cisco half-laughed at the memory, remembering how surprised Barry had been with C-3PO.

 

“But most of all, thank you for programming me to love. I know you could’ve made me love you, or not love at all, and you gave me that choice.” This was followed by a string of gibberish. Barry blinked rapidly, the LEDs that powered his eyes flickering. “I’m so glad I chose you.”

 

“I’m glad too,” Cisco said, leaning closer so Barry could see him. “I’ve never been as happy as when I was with you.” 

 

The corner of Barry’s mouth twitched in a valiant effort to smile. “Me neither. Cisco, I lo-” random keys and signs filled up the screen, as the lights behind Barry’s eyes went dark for the last time. Cisco was unable to do anything more than sob, letting his head rest on Barry’s chest as he knelt beside the bed. Instinctively, his hand moved across Barry’s back, connecting the dots. Canis Major. Taurus. The Big Dipper.


End file.
